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By Roger Harnack
Whitman County Gazette 

Rosalia man convicted in child-porn case

 

August 4, 2022



SPOKANE – A Rosalia man was sentenced Tuesday, Aug. 2, to 10 years in federal prison in a child-pornography case.

Philip Mario Harhill, 74, of Rosalia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Washington for coercion and enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said.

U.S. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Harthill to 120 months to be followed by a life term of supervised release, records show.

Peterson emphasized that “the damage to children” caused by Harthill’s crimes is very “real.”

“This is damage they will carry with them for their whole lives – damage to both the children and the families, who are impacted, the judge said, noting a 10-year sentence was necessary regardless of Harthill’s age.

Court records show Harthill pleaded guilty to the crimes April 19.

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations discovered in early 2019 that Harthill was transmitting child pornography online through Skype.

Later that year, Harthill began an online chat via social media sites regarding Harthill’s sexual interest in minor children, particularly girls, who were 10 years old and older, records show. During these communications, Harthill used the Kik Messenger to send at least two images containing child pornography.

Harthill also used Kik to solicit additional child pornography, records show.

Federal investigators monitoring Kik executed a search warrant at Harthill’s residence and seized several electronic devices, including his laptop computer, records show. On the laptop, investigators discovered 1,455 videos and 531 images of child pornography, including a split-screen video of Harthill sexually interacting with a young child, who stated she was 9 years old and lives in another country.

During the investigation, Harthill agreed to speak with law enforcement and confessed to downloading, trading and viewing child pornography for about five years, records show. Harthill further admitted to sexually communicating online with underage girls, ages 12-15 years old.

Harthill said he would sometimes falsely portray himself as being 19 years old to his victims, records show.

“This case is a stark reminder that sexual predators do not always fit a specific profile and, in some cases, may be the person you least suspect,” Waldref said. “Mr. Harthill used everyday internet applications like Skype and Kik to exploit the most vulnerable among us.”

“Harthill exploited children by sharing their images with other child pornographers around the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “The resolve of HSI agents working both in the U.S. and overseas has resulted in a sentence that will hopefully provide some ease to those affected by his horrendous actions and keep Harthill behind bars, not behind a computer.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann T. Wick.

Author Bio

Roger Harnack, Publisher

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Roger Harnack is the co-owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.

 

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